Senators hit back at Aguirre

MANILA, Philippines -  Senators accused of involvement in the Marawi City siege yesterday chided Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II for being “incompetent and stupid,” peddling fake news and sowing division when the country should be united in battling extremists.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV denied having plotted the attack in Marawi City, saying that no less than Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana cleared opposition senators or the Liberal Party (LP) of any involvement in the incident.

He said he did not have a meeting in Marawi City in the last three years, and Senate records would bear him out.

“The incompetence of Aguirre is only matched by his stupidity. I would advise him to avoid getting his intel from Facebook conspiracy theorists,” Trillanes said.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said he was in Manila last May 2 and went to Marawi City over two weeks later to launch the first Go Negosyo Center in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Aquino said he was escorted all the time by a military officer, while Vice Gov. Bombit Adiong, Brig. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista and Brig. Nixon Fortes were with him during the event.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has also vouched for him, Aquino said.

“It would be prudent for Secretary Aguirre to clarify dates, seek evidence and request for official statements from legitimate government agencies before he makes yet another false accusation,” Aquino said.

“Is fake news enough for the head of our country’s Department of Justice to make these outrageous allegations?” he added.

Aquino also said the Marawi crisis could have been an opportunity to unite the country against a common enemy. “Instead, it’s being used to further political interests and further divide our country.”

In press conference yesterday, Aguirre claimed that Trillanes and Aquino met with several clans in Marawi City at a resort hotel on May 2 along with Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano and former presidential adviser on political affairs Ronald Llamas.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, president of the LP, said Aguirre’s allegation is “pure nonsense.” He also chided Aguirre for again coming up with baseless accusations linking the LP to destabilization efforts.        – With Jess Diaz